Washington Twp. Officer Indicted in Moriarty DWI Arrest

The police officer who arrested state Assemblyman Paul Moriarty on a drunken-driving charge last year may himself end up in prison. 

A Gloucester County grand jury on Wednesday indicted Washington Township Ptl. Joseph DiBuonaventura on an array of charges related to the arrest on July 31, 2012. 

DiBuonaventura, 42, of Brigantine, was charged with five second-degree counts of official misconduct; three fourth-degree counts of false swearing; three third degree counts of tampering with records; and three fourth-degree counts of falsifying records, the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office announced Thursday.

DiBuonaventura faces five to 10 years in state prison on each of the official misconduct charges, the most serious of his offenses. 

Moriarty was arrested on the Black Horse Pike, in the Turnersville section of his hometown of Washington Township, Gloucester County, on July 31, 2012. DiBuonaventura alleged Moriarty cut him off in traffic before the officer pulled the state legislator over. DiBuonaventura charged Moriarty with driving while intoxicated, refusing to submit to blood-alcohol content testing and failing to maintain a lane.

But Moriarty contended the officer lied about the reason for the stop and denied he'd consumed any alcohol before he was pulled over. Moriarty released video from the dashboard camera of the officer's police cruiser, which appeared to refute DiBuonaventura's written version of the events leading up to the traffic stop. 

Moriarty served as mayor of Washington Township from 2004 through 2008. As a Democratic assemblyman, he represents the 4th Legislative District, which includes Gloucester Township and Washington Township. 

In October 2012, Moriarty filed 27 civil complaints against DiBuonaventura, alleging the officer committed perjury and official misconduct, filed false police reports, and falsified and tampered with public records. A municipal court judge ruled there was probable cause  for 13 of the 27 charges to proceed to trial. The case was then turned over the the prosecutor's office, which presented it to the grand jury that indicted DiBuonaventura on Wednesday. 

In a statement released Wednesday, Moriarty said the indictments validate his claim of innocence.  

"I have said from the very first day that this officer abused his power, targeted me, hunted me down, and violated my civil rights," Moriarty said. "I did nothing wrong that day. I was falsely arrested. My property was seized. My good name was tarnished. I hope now that true justice can take place and my good name restored."

DiBuonaventura has been suspended without pay since December 2012. He is represented by the law office of Ron Helmer of Haddon Heights. Helmer could not be reached for comment Wednesday. 

The charges against Moriarty are still pending, said Bernie Weisenfeld, spokesman for the prosecutor's office. 

"I don't know what's going to happen to them ultimately," he said. 

For more on this case, see:

• UPDATE: Assemblyman Moriarty Arrested on DWI Charge; Legislator Denies Charge
• Police Release Details on Moriarty DWI Arrest
• Moriarty's Hearing on DWI Charges Postponed
• Assemblyman Moriarty Files Charges Against Cop
• Judge Rules Probable Cause Exists on 13 of 27 Moriarty Complaints
• Report: Moriarty's Arresting Officer Suspended
• Patch Sues Washington Twp. for Access to Moriarty Arrest Video
• Assemblyman Paul Moriarty Releases Video of His DWI Arrest
• Judge: Washington Twp. Must Release Moriarty Arrest Video
• Moriarty: 'I Had Not Been Drinking'